GB2082142A - Dual function gripper for refuse containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A lifting apparatus for bulk refuse containers which can be fitted to a refuse collection/compaction vehicle or a stationary disposal unit is adapted to lift bulk refuse containers of both circular and non-circular shapes in plan view. A pair of arcuate lifting arms (12) are pivoted at upright spaced apart pivots (15) to a frame (10) which also carries fixed stub arms (19) carrying articulated lifting arms (18) with engagement portions (21) pivoted at (22). The gripping movement of the arcuate arms (12) and the articulated arms (19, 20, 21) is in each case derived from a single double-acting piston and cylinder assembly (16) which alternatively engages the arcuate or the articulated arms, the other of the two pairs of arms being folded away to a "parked" condition so as not to foul the refuse container. The whole frame can be pivoted about a horizontal axis parallel to the piston and cylinder assembly (16) to invert a bin to empty the contents. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Bulk refuse container lifting apparatus Description of invention This invention relates to bulk refuse container lifting apparatus.

Such apparatus may, for example, be provided on a mobile refuse collection/compaction vehicle or on a stationary refuse disposal unit such as an incinerator, to lift a bulk refuse container and tip its contents into the vehicle or unit.

Bulk refuse containers are pimarily suitable for commercial premises such as shops, restaurants or offices. There is little standardisation in the size or shape of such bulk containers, which has hitherto made it difficult or impossible to provide lifting apparatus capable of lifting and emptying a range of bulk container types.

It is an object of the invention to provide a bulk refuse container lifting apparatus capable of being selectively operated to lift and empty bulk containers of a plurality of different types.

According to the invention there is provided a bulk refuse container lifting apparatus comprising a frame carrying a pair of generally upright, spaced apart pivots, each pivot carrying a respective one of a pair of pivotally mounted arcuate lifting arms adapted to at least partly encircle a circular container to be lifted, the frame further carrysing a pair of relatively movable articulated lifting arms, each comprising a main limb mounted on the frame and a relatively articulated engagement portion at the free end of the main limb adapted to engage with engagement means of a non-circular container to be lifted, each of said arcuate and said articulated lifting arms being selectively movable between a respective extended position for use and a withdrawn "parked" position in which the arms do not project buy a substantial amount from the frame, and a single, double-acting piston and cylinder assembly being provided on the frame, operable through selector valve means selectively and laternatively to operate the arcuate or the articulated lifting arms to engage a circular or non-circular container to be lifted.

The main limbs of one or both of the articulated arms may be pivotally mounted on the frame at a respective further generally upright pivot.

The frame may be mounted for pivotal movement through a large angle about a generally horizontally disposed axis to enable a container to be lifted and substantially inverted while engaged by said arcuate or said articulated lifting arms. The generally horizontally disposed axis is generally parallel to the axis of the double acting piston and cylinder assembly.

Preferably, the frame is pivoted by means of a pair of laterally spaced, generally upright piston and cylinder assemblies operating together.

Where words such as "upright" are used in this specification to denote position, except if the context demands otherwise, the words are used in reference to the condition of the apparatus when it is about to grip a refuse container. During use of the apparatus, the entire assembly may be swung through a large angle and the bin will be more or less inverted so that the orientation of the parts will change.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a plan view of part of a lifting apparatus embodying the invention, specifically designed for use on a refuse compaction vehicle.

Referring to the drawings, a main frame 10 is provided with a pair of spaced pivots 11 which are disposed generally upright when the frame is in its normal position which is generally upright at the rear of the refuse collection and compaction vehicle.

At each of the upright pivots 11, there is mounted an arcuate lifting arm 12 which can either adoptthe full line position shown, which is its extended position, or a withdrawn "parked" condition shown at 13.

When the arcuate lifting arms 12 are parked at the position 13, they do not project substantially beyond the main frame 10 and hence do not form an obstruction.

The arcuate lifting arms 12 are movable by means of arm extensions 14 which are pivoted atthe pivot 11 and which are also pivotally connected at respec tiveconnections 15toan hydraulic actuating piston and cylinder assembly 16. This piston and cylinder assembly is double-acting, that is it can be used to force the arm extensions in either direction about their respective pivots and, in one direction of movement, this causes the arcuate lifting arms 12 to clamp onto the surface of a circular cross-section bulk refuse container indicated in dotted lines at 17.

It will be appreciated that, before the arms can be clamped onto the surface of the container 17, they have firstly to be extended at a wider angle than shown in the drawings, in order to enable the bin to be received within the arms.

When the arms 12 have been clamped around the circular bulk refuse container 17, the main frame 10 can be pivoted through a wide angle about a generally horizontal axis so as to lift the container and substantially invert it, to empty the contents therefrom.

In addition to the arcuate lifting arms 12, the apparatus further includes a pair of articulated lifting arms generally indicated at 18.

Each of the articulated lifting arms 18 is mounted on a fixed stub arm 19 forming part of the rigid main frame 10. The articulared arm 18 at the left-hand side of the drawing comprises a main limb 20 and a relatively articulated engagement portion 21 which is pivoted to the main limb by a pivot 22. The main limb can be swung between an extended position shown in full lines and a withdrawn "parked" condition shown in dotted lines 23.

At the right-hand side of the drawing, there is shown a slightly different form of articulated lifting arm 18 which is connected to the ram 24 of the piston and cylinder assembly 16 previously referred to. The connection is made by means of an actuating link 25 which is pivoted at 26 to a block connected to the arm 24. The actuating link 25 and the main limb 20 are both pivoted to the fixed stub arm 19 at a pivot point 27, and have a cooperating engagement which is such that, by extending the ram 24 from the piston and cylinder assembly 16, the actuating link 25 drives the main limb 20 of the arm inwardly.

As before, an engagement portion 21 is pivotally connected at 22 to the main limb 20.

Each of the engagement portions 21 is arranged to receive engagement means 28 on a rectangular or square profile container to be lifted. The engagement means generally speaking comprise a pair of spigots welded onto opposed side walls of the container.

As referred to in connection with the left-hand side of the drawing, the articulated lifting arm 18 at the right-hand side can be swung back to the parked position shown at 23. It will be seen that, in this condition, the arms do not project substantially beyond the main frame. The articulated lifting arms will be held in this position while the arcuate lifting arms are in use or, where the apparatus is provided on a vehicle, while the vehicle is being driven.

Considering the apparatus provided on a refuse collection and compaction vehicle, where a circular bulk refuse container is to be lifted, the articulated lifting arms are swung into the parked or withdrawn condition 23. This can be done either manually or by hydraulic means (not shown). A suitable selector valve means is used to operate the arcuate lifting arms 12 which are swung into a separated condition.

A bulk refuse container of circular profile is introduced between the arcuate lifting arms and the piston and cylinder assembly 16 is operated to cause the arm extensions 14to separate and hence to cause the arcuate lifting arms 12 to grip around the periphery of the refuse container 17. It will be appreciated that the arms 12 are self centering.

When the arms engage firmly around the refuse container 17, the main frame itself can be pivoted about a generally horizontal axis through a large angle, so as to lift and substantially invert the refuse container to deposit its contents into the collection and compaction vehicle. The frame is preferably operated by means of a pair of parallel and generally upright hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies working simultaneously so as to give a smooth lifting operation. The lifting apparatus is provided with damping means which come into operation at the end of the piston stroke and also with pressure relief valve means to prevent damage to the containeras it is lowered to the ground after inverting.

Where a rectangular or square refuse container is to be lifted, the arcuate lifting arms 12 are swung into the parked position 13 and the articulated lifting arms are swung into their normal engagement position from the withdrawn condition 23. The selector valves are operated so that the ram 16 now actuates the articulated, rather than the arcuate lifting arms. In fact, as shown in the drawings, the left-hand articulated arm 18 is merely held in its extended condition whereas the right-hand side arm is swung into an outwardly projecting condition shown in chain dotted lines at 29. The rectangular or square refuse container can then be manoeuvred into position between the articulated arms, whereupon the piston and cylinder assembly 16 is operated, the actuating link 25 is forced outwardly and causes the main limb 20 of the articulated lifting arm 18 to be forced inwardly.The engagement portions 21 engage over the spigots 28 of the refuse container. In this condition, the apparatus is then capable of lifting the refuse container by pivoting of the main frame in a manner precisely similar to that described in connection with emptying a circular refuse container.

The engagement portions 21 are pivotally mounted at 22 on the main limbs 20 of the respects lifting arms and are free to pivot to move into full engagement with the side walls of the container to be lifted.

It will be appreciated that, by suitable spacing of the fixed stub arms 19, and/or suitable dimensioning of the actuating links 25 and main limbs 20, the articulated lifting arms can be arranged to engage and lift a variety of generaly rectangular or square cross-section bulk refuse containers. Whilst it is usual to provide spigots 28 on the sides of such containers to be engaged by the engagement portions 21,the clamping action of the engagement portions under the influence of the piston and cylinder assembly 16 may be sufficient to grip the refuse container for lifting without the provision of such spigots or alternative lifting means.

Although the articulated lifting arms are shown as being pivoted to the frame 10 via the fixed stub arms 19, it would be possible to modify the arrangement by having the articulated lifting arms slidably mounted for movement relatively towards and away from each other under the influence of the piston and cylinder assembly.

Claims (6)

1. A bulk refuse container lifting apparatus comprising a frame carrying a pair of generally upright, spaced part pivots, each pivot carrying a respective one of a pair of pivotally mounted arcuate lifting arms adapted to at least partly encircle a circular container to be lifted, the frame further carrying a pair of relatively movable articulated lifting arms, each comprising a main limb mounted on the frame and a relatively articulated engagement portion at the free end of the main limb, adapted to engage with engagement means of a non-circular container to be lifted, each of said arcuate and said articulated lifting arms being selectively movable between a respective extended position for use and a withdrawn "parked" position in which the arms do not project by a substantial amount from the frame, and a single, double-acting piston and cylinder assembly being provided on the frame, operable through selector valve means selectively and alternatively to operate the arcuate or the articulated lifting arms to engage a circular or non-circular container to be lifted.

2. An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the main limbs of one or both of the articulated arms are pivotally mounted on the frame at a respective further generally upright pivot.

3. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the frame is mounted for pivotal movement through a large angle about a generally horizontally disposed axis to enable a container to be lifted and substantially inverted while engaged by said arcuate or said articulated lifting arms.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein said generally horizontally disposed axis is generally parallel to the axis of said double acting piston and cylinder assembly.

5. An apparatus according to Claim 4 wherein the frame is pivoted about said generally horizontal ly disposed axis by means of a pair of laterally spaced generally upright piston and cylinder assemblies operating together.

6. A bulk refuse container lifting apparatus sub stantially as hereinafter described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.